Thousands protest Sindh’s ‘division’

Massive rallies were staged and a complete shutter down strike was observed in interior Sindh, Hyderabad and Sindhi and Baloch-dominated areas of Karachi on Monday to protest the imposition of separate administrative systems in rural and urban Sindh.
The strike call was given by the Awami Tehreek (AT) and Jiyay Sindh Tehreek (JST) against the dual administrative systems, rolling back of the magistracy and the imposition of Sindh Local Government Ordinance, 2001 in the province. All business centres in Ghokti, Deherki, Kandhkot, Kashmore, Jacobabad, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Larkana, Sukkur, Dadu, Khairpur, Nawabshah, Mirpurkhas, Jamshoro and Hyderabad. Sindhi and Baloch majority areas of Karachi also remained shut for the day. All petrol filling station were also closed for business and the traffic on the roads also remained scarce during the strike. The districts bars in all areas on strike also remained closed.
In protest against the PPP and President Asif Ali Zardari, 20 office-bearers resigned from the party, while several protest rallies were staged in almost all districts and tehsil headquarters across Sindh. In Larkana as well, a complete shutter down and wheel-jam strike was witnessed on calls given by JST, Jiyay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), Awami Tehreek (AT), Sindh United Party (SUP), Sindh Adabi Sangat (SAS) and several other civil and intellectual bodies to protest the administrative partition of Sindh.
The activists of above-mentioned parties staged sit-ins at various crossings and burnt tyres against what they called anti-Sindh decision. All shopping centres and markets, including Shahi Bazaar, Resham Gali, Jelius market, Anaj Mandi, Bunder Road, Pakistan Chowk and others business areas remained shut. Additional police and Rangers personnel were called in to beef up security. The police arrested five activists of JST. Addressing the protest rallies, local and nationalists leaders said the ruling parties had desecrated the mandate of the people of Sindh for their vested interests and hunger for power. They said they would resist and fight on all front for the rights of the people of Sindh and would never compromise on principles.